Box tilting mechanism



June 28, 1955 F. J. AVERY 2,711,838

- BOX TILTING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 20, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEYS.

June 28, 1955 F. J/AVERY 3 BOX TILTING MECHANISM F iled Sept. 20, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

BOX TILTING MECHANISM Fred J. Avery, La Grange, Ill.

Appiication September 20, 1952, Serial No. 310,703

6 Claims. (Cl. 214-314) This invention relates to a box tilting mechanism and more particularly to a mechanism for holding material containers in any desired tilted position. There are many manufacturing operations in which relatively small parts are handled and transported in boxes of the type called tote boxes, skid boxes or fork truck boxes. Boxes of this type are generally rectangular, open top containers supported on short legs or bases so that the fork of a lift truck can be slipped under them to transport them or in some cases on casters so that they can be rolled easily from place to place.

When the parts in such box are to be processed, the box is usually placed beside a machine and the operator takes out the parts one by one as he works on them. If the box is of any reasonable size, the parts therein will reach such a low level that the operator must stretch to reach them. As a result, the operator is subjected to tiring strains and to loss of time.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a tilting mechanism for boxes which will hold a box in adjustably tilted position for easy access by an operator regardless of how full or empty the box may be.

Another object is to provide a box tilting mechanism in which the front of the box drops to a predetermined level as its rear is raised during initial tilting and as tilting continues the box pivots about its front upper edge.

Still another object is to provide a box tilting mechanism in which the box is supported on a tilting frame whose rear edge is raised through a cable and pulley mechanism to tilt the box.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a box tilting mechanism embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a front elevation;

Figure 3 is a partial section on the line 3--3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a side elevation showing a box in place; and i Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 showing the tilted position.

The mechanism as shown comprises a base indicated generally at 10 which may be formed of I beams or channels as shown at 11 in Figure 3 connected in rectangular form. The base may be supported for easy transportation on casters 12 mounted at the four corners of the base for rolling it easily over a floor. At the front corners of the base, upright members 13 are provided which extend vertically above the base as shown. The upright members are preferably formed of metal channels mounted with the channel openings facing toward the rear of the base and may be notched out at their upper ends as indicated at 14. Bearing pins 15 are secured to the upper ends of the upright members and are exposed through the notches as shown.

At its rear the base carries an upright 16 extending nited States Patent 0 fit) substantially above the base and carrying a platform 17 at its upper end. A motor 18 is mounted on the platform and drives a reel 19 through a gear reduction unit 21.

The base is adapted to support a rectangular frame 22 which is preferably formed of channel beams as shown in Figure 3 connected in rectangular formation and of the same width as the base 10. At the front of the frame are front posts 23 which may be formed of channel members as shown and which are of a length to extend substantially above the front members 13 on the base. At their upper ends the posts 23 carry outwardly projecting hooks 24 which are adapted to engage the bearing pins 15 as explained hereinafter.

The frame 22 normally rests on the base and is supported thereon for free forward and rearward movement by means of rollers 25. As shown in Figure 3, the rollers 25 fit between the flanges of the base I beams 11 so that the frame can move forward and backward but is prevented from moving sideways.

The frame 22 is adapted to support a box as indicated in dotted lines at 26 in Figure l and in full lines in Figures 4 and 5. The box as shown may be a conventional box of rectangular shape open at its top and supported on short legs 27 to space its bottom above the floor so that the forks of a conventional fork truck may fit under it to lift it. The box is of such a size that its legs 27 will fit into the channel members of the frame 22 with the front of the box against the front posts 23 as shown.

To tilt the frame and the box supported thereon, a cable 28 is fastened to the reel 19 to be wound thereon by operation of the motor 18 and is threaded over a pulley 29 secured to the rear of the frame 22. From the pulley 29 cable runs up to an anchor 31 on the platform 17 so that as the motor is operated in one direction cable will be wound on the drum 19 to raise the rear end of the frame and as the motor runs in the other direction cable will be unwound to lower the rear end of the frame.

In the normal position shown in Figures 1 and 4, the frame rests flat on the base and the box 26 is held in its normal upright position. With the box in this position when it is almost completely filled, a machine operator can easily remove parts from the box by reaching over the top of the box without having to extend his arm down into the box.

As parts are removed and the level of parts in the box drops, the operator is compelled to reach further and further into the box for parts. At this time the operator can energize the motor to wind cable on to the reel 19 thereby to raise the rear of the frame 22 and the box as shown in Figure 5. During initial tilting movement of the frame and box the rollers 25 will roll rearwardly along the beam members 11 of the base and the upper ends of the front posts 23 which carry the hooks 24 will slide downwardly over the upper ends of the front members 13 of the base. After the frame and box are tilted to substantially the position shown in Figure 5, the hooks 24- will hook over the bearing pins 15 to prevent the front edge of the box from dropping any further. On continued winding of the cable the frame and box will pivot about the bearing pins 15 and the hooks 24 until the box is raised to its maximum tilted position. It will be seen that the box can easily be tilted through a very large angle so that an operator can easily reach pieces therein even when the box is almost completely empty. Furthermore, due to the fact that the front upper edge of the box drops during initial tilting, the open top of the box is always maintained at a convenient level so that the operator can reach into it with a minimum of strain and with a minimum loss of time.

After a box has been emptied the motor 18 may be reversed to lower the frame and box to the lever position shown in Figures 1 and 4 and the box may easily be removed and replaced by a full box.

While one embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail it will be understood that this is illustrative only and is not to be taken as a definition of the scope of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A box tilting mechanism comprising a base having vertically extending front members, a tilting frame resting movable on the base and adapted to receive a box, vertically extending front posts on the frame taller than the front members and normally lying against and parallel to the front members, means carried by the base and connected to the rear of the frame to elevate the rear of the frame thereby to tilt the frame relative to the base, and, hooks carried by the upper ends of the front posts and normally lying above the front members to hook over the front members as the tops of the front posts move downward during tilting of the frame.

2. A box tilting mechanism comprising a base having vertically extending front members, a tilting frame rest ing movably on the base and adapted to receive a box, vertically extending front posts on the frame taller than the front members and normally lying against and parallel to the front members, means carried by the base and connected to the rear of the frame to elevate the rear of the frame thereby to tilt the frame relative to the base, horizontal bearing pins carried by the upper ends of the front members, and hooks on the upper ends of the front posts to hook over the pins and act as pivotal bearing points for the frame when the tops of the front posts move downward due to tilting of the frame.

3. A- box tilting mechanism comprising a base having elongated supporting strips extending from front to rear 1' thereof, vertical front members at the front of the base, a tilting frame on the base having bottom rollers thereon resting on the supporting strips for rolling movement thereon, vertically extending front posts on the frame extending above the front members, means carried by the base and connected to the rear of the frame to elevate the rear of the frame thereby to tilt the frame on the base, and hooks carried by the upper ends of the front posts to hook over the front members and act as pivot points for the frame when the tops of the front posts move downward during tilting of the frame.

4. A box tilting mechanism comprising a base having elongated supporting strips extending from front to rear thereof, vertical front members at the front of the base, a tilting frame on the base having bottom rollers thereon resting on the supporting strips for rolling movement thereon, vertically extending front posts on the frame extending above the front members, means carried by the base and connected to the rear of the frame to elevate the rear of the frame thereby to tilt the frame on the base, horizontal bearing pins carried by the upper ends of the front members, and hooks carried by the upper ends of the front posts to hook over the bearing pins and act as pivotal bearing points for the frame when the tops of the front posts move downward during tilting of the frame.

5. The construction of claim 1 in which the elevating means comprises an upright at the rear of the base, a flexible cable and pulley mechanism connecting the top of the upright and the rear of the frame, and a motor connected to the cable to wind it in thereby to elevate the rear of the frame.

6. The construction of claim 3 in which the elevating means comprises an upright at the rear of the base, a flexible cable and pulley mechanism connecting the top of the upright and the rear of the frame, and a motor driven reel to wind in the cable thereby to raise the rear of the frame, the cable extending substantially vertically when the frame is in its lowered position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNTTED STATES PATENTS 1,371,812 Robb Mar. 15, 1921 1,521,317 Pugh Dec. 30, 1924 2,136,068 Allen Nov. 8, 1938' 2,260,697 Allen Oct. 28, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS 630,931 Great Britain Oct. 24. 1949 

